The DLSU Green Spikers ended their UAAP Season 88 Men’s Volleyball Tournament run with a strong finish after claiming another victory over the defending champions NU Bulldogs in a five-set scramble, 16-25, 26-24, 20-25, 26-24, 17-15, earlier today, April 19, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Eric Layug took home the Player of the Game honors in his final match as a Green Spiker with an 11-point outing, while Yoyong Mendoza and Chris Hernandez both notched 17 points to ignite the Lasallian offense.
On the other side of the net, Leo Ordiales led the match with a game-high 28 points to bolster the Bulldogs. Jade Disquitado and Michaelo Buddin also joined the fray with 22 and 16 points, respectively.
Lone spark in dim offense
Despite the firepower of Mendoza, the DLSU Green Spikers could not secure the opening set as the NU Bulldogs leaned on balanced scoring to strike first. Eugene Gloria initiated the scoring for both squads with a crafty off-speed hit, but La Salle’s shaky reception gave NU room to unload from the service line, carving out an early 4-2 edge.
A string of unforced errors further derailed the Green Spikers, allowing the gap to stretch to five. Mendoza tried to spark a response with a pipe attack, but La Salle struggled to decode the Bulldogs’ offensive system. NU kept its foot on the gas, punctuated by a quick hit from Peng Tagubolos to push the lead to 16-10.
Mendoza kept the Green Spikers afloat with attacks from the right pin and back row, but the offense proved too reliant on him as Ordiales pushed NU’s lead to 22-15. A service error from Buddin briefly handed La Salle some breathing room, but the Bulldogs’ quickly shut the door with a flurry from the wing, taking the set with a nine-point margin, 25-16.
Spike for spike
Aiming to jump-start their offensive firepower, the Green Spikers came out of the gate strong with Hernandez anchoring the offense from a light tap into the front to draw first blood. The tandem of Layug and Issa Ousseini would also quickly barrage their way toward an early 3-1 advantage, mounted from defensive counterattacks.
Both squads continued to push the pace as no one seemed to let up. While they went back-and-forth, the competing sides were also hampered with unforced errors with La Salle struggling with service errors, while NU with net errors. On the offensive side, the Gloria and Mendoza duo ignited the Green-and-White offense with excellent sets to crosscourt strikes from the wing, while the Bulldogs were led by Disquitado continuing his strong showing by evading the defense using power taps and swipes, putting the match into a 16-all deadlock.
Hernandez eventually shone late into the set, coming alive to pierce a stalwart three-man NU defense. On the same note, Ordiales responded by zipping a spike from the wing past the DLSU blockers to even it up. The two dueled it out at the 22-all deadlock as both squads’ points were singlehandedly created between the two. However, the Bulldogs’ defense was stunned after a power tip from Layug, eventually leading to Gloria denying a fiery Ordiales with a high-leaping block that no one was home to cover, giving DLSU the set 26-24.
Late surge falls short
After grinding out a spirited second set, the Green Spikers cleaned up their game and kept the errors at bay. Still, NU’s offense proved untouchable, handing La Salle a daunting two-set deficit. It was a middle blocker duel early in the set, with Obed Mukaba and Ousseini trading emphatic blocks and spikes. Ousseini’s quick middle conversion briefly gave DLSU a momentum stopper, but three straight NU attacks forced an early timeout from the Green Spikers as they trailed, 9-4.
However, NU quickly seized control again, stringing together a 7-1 surge fueled by their aggressive serving to swing momentum decisively back their way. The Bulldogs, built around a national team core, were first to reach the 20-point mark with a commanding nine-point cushion over the Taft-based squad.
DLSU managed to trim the deficit to five following a double substitution, with MJ Fortuna igniting the run through an off-the-block hit supplemented by a series of NU errors. Mendoza then helped push La Salle to the 20-point mark with an off-the-block hit, but Disquitado sealed the frame for NU with a powerful left-pin finish, 25-20.
Come from behind
With their backs against the wall, the Green Spikers were on the ropes as sluggish front-court coverage allowed back-to-back block points from Buddin. Layug and Mendoza opened it up for the green shirts with powerful spikes down the middle, but this would be La Salle’s only attack points in the early game as NU propelled their way into a 9-5 lead.
The Taft-based squad finally caught a solid break after a series of NU service and net-touch errors allowed a shift in momentum. They caught up within one point off a solid deflection from Layug into the front court of the Bulldogs to cap a 4-1 run, 10-9. The Green-and-White’s spikes, however, either went wide or were denied by the formidable defense of the navy shirts, putting them at a disadvantage again, 16-11.
After late-game adjustments, the Lasallian offense fired on all cylinders as Gloria went off the blockers for consecutive points. Fortuna’s timely spike finally gave DLSU the lead, but the blue shirts punched back with a service ace from Greg Ancheta. The team from Taft remained composed as Layug’s timely spike, coupled with Gloria’s finisher across the court, allowed La Salle to take the fourth set, 26-24.
Triumphant exit
Riding the momentum of a hard-earned fourth set, the DLSU Green Spikers closed their campaign on a high, outlasting the defending champion in a gripping five-setter. The decider turned into a back-and-forth affair, with 13 notable deadlocks. Fortuna opened the board of the last leg with a crosscourt strike, quickly countered by Ordiales to level at 1-all. NU carved out an early two-point edge after an Ordiales’ block and a crafty finish by Disquitado, but a down-the-line hit from Fortuna and consecutive miscues by the Bulldogs allowed La Salle to sneak ahead, 5-4.
From there, neither side gave an inch, trading points all the way to the 12-point marker. An attack error from Disquitado and an off-system conversion by Hernandez pushed DLSU to match point, 14-12, only for NU to respond with a 3-0 burst to flip the script at 15-14. With a closing victory at stake, graduating middle blocker Layug broke through the block to equalize the match. Hernandez then delivered a clutch spike, before an error from Buddin sealed the dramatic victory for the Green Spikers, 17-15.
With their last match now under their belt, DLSU Head Coach Jose Roque reflected on the team’s future going forward. With the departures of Layug, Neil Flores, and Joshua Rodriguez, he emphasized that despite the core staying intact, there was still a different essence going into the next season: “Iba rin kasi ang nabigay na vibes ng tatlong mawawala eh, magkakaroon pa rin kami ng konting adjustment,” he stated, remarking on the shift within the locker room.
Gloria remained steadfast in the future, ready to step up as the would-be senior along with Hernandez, noting that they would promise to push for the elusive Final Four next season. “Gagawin namin ang lahat para makabalik sa Final Four next season. Pagtatrabauhin namin ang lapses namin,” Gloria emphasized, aiming to work on their setbacks in the offseason.
With the victory at hand, the Green Spikers conclude their campaign with a 6-8 record, leaving with their chins up as they miss out on the Final Four for the first time since 2019.
The Scores:
DLSU 3 – Mendoza 17, Hernandez 17, Gloria 16, Layug 11, Fortuna 7, Ousseini 7, Regidor 0, Abut 0, Bangit 0, Rodriguez 0, N. Flores 0, Retiro 0
NU 2 – Ordiales 28, Disquitado 22, Buddin 16, Mukaba 11, Tagubolos 8, Ancheta 3, Gapultos 1, Abanilla 0, Mendoza 0, Hernandez 0, Parreno 0, Macatangay 0
Set Scores: 25-16, 26-24, 25-20, 26-24, 17-15
